Orthodontia appliance



June 26, 1945. J. E LA$K|N ,2,3795011 AORTH'QDQN'HA APPLIANCE Filed'April 24,1945

JACOB ,s A5/my Patented June 26, 1945 UNI TED STATES PATENT OFFICEORTHOD ONTIA' APPLIANCE Jacob E. Laskin, Shaker Heights, OhiovApplication April 24, 1943, Serial fNo. 484g373 19' Claims.

This invention relates broadly to orthodontic appliances and morespecifically to improvements in brackets for the attachment of ftheteeth of the dental arch to a conformed arch bar.

In the treatment of malposed teeth through the medium of an arch bar itis essential that the expedient used for the support thereof be formedto facilitate either the rigid securement of the bar or, distal movementof the teeth relative thereto. To `this end the early workers. in theart such as Angle (Patent No. 1,142,790, June 15, 1915) and certain ofhis contemporaries employed a grooved block or brackety soldered to thetooth band and connected .to the bar by ligatures tied to afford thedesired type of support. Although this combination has been extensivelyused in `the profession, the uncertainty vof the tie, `the disparity inthe tensive strains obtained thereby and the arduous work entailed inthe use of the ligatures, prompted. from time totime a host ofmodifications in the bracket per se the chief object of the changesbeing directed to instrumentalities for locking the bar against labialor buccal movement within the bracket. While manvof these refinementsafforded a more eiectual lock, none of the improvements reduced the useof ligatures or shortened the time of attachment, in fact many of :thedevices introduced new and more highly complicated problems of assemblyand increased the vperiod of treatment.

In the present invention the arch bar carrier or bracket is formed forrotative adjustment and locked engagement with the band with which it isassociated, the objects and advantages thereof residing in the provisionof a structure which will accommodate the support of the bar Afor eitherxed or yielding engagement in the bracket; an adjustment which willfacilitate tractive effort through the bar'for the correction of axialmalocclusion and a structure which will facilitate the transmission' oftorsional strains upon the bracket for the correction of labial orlingual malocclusion;

A further object of theinvention is to provide an arch bar supportingstructure which will facilitate angular adjustments of the barat thepoints` of anchorage, such for example, as required to elect gingivalcorrections of malposed molars and incisors or cuspids.

Another object of the invention is .to provide a bracket whichmaybereadily adjusted without the use of special tools or instruments andwhich is formed with indicia thereon to indicate the tractive elortimposed upon the tooth through the bar and bracket.

Other objects 4and advantages ymore or less ancillary to theffore'goingand the manner in which all the. various objects are realized willappearlin the following` description, which considered in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, sets forth the preferred embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring tothe drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a dental arch having an `orthod'ontia applianceembodying the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a :front elevational View of the improved bracket showingsomewhat-diagrammatically Ithe assembled` relation `of the bar withvcertain teeth ofy the dental arch;

Fig. 3 is lan enlarged front elevational view of one of the bracketsshown in Fig. 2.;

Fig. 4 is. a transverse section through the bracket shown in Fig. 3including a fragmentary portion of. :the tooth band and illustrating.the

relation of pants when the bracket is clamped or locked with-in theretainer therefor; the section being taken on a plane indicated by thelined-4 'in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, similar to that shown in Fig. 4, the bracketbeing illustratedin dlsengaged relation. with the retainer therefor;

Fig. 6 vis afront elevational view of the bracket illustrating they.position thereof when adjusted for the reception of the arch bar;

, Fig. 7 is a similar view-of the bracket showing the position thereofwhen revolved for locking engagement with the bar;

Fig. 8 is a similar viewv of 'the bracket showing the position thereofwhen revolved to impose a tensive strain upon Ithe .arch bar;

Fig. 9 is a'perspective View ofthe bracket with the base or supportingsheath therefor removed and illustrating in dotted lines the position ofthe arch bar when supported-therein; and

Fig. 1'0 is a' perspective view of a' modified form of bracketillustrating ythe vconstruct-ion thereof when used as a support for theend portions of the bar.

Referring first toFigs. 3 and 4, the bracket comprises a 'blocklili-formed witha frustro conical 'basefll seatedin" a cup -I 2 solderedorotherwise alix-ed to a ltooth band Al-3` of customary form; The :upperface of the block is constructed with ya rectangular -boss M having a'lj-slot l5 therein and a kerf4 I-lt extended axially therethrough., andthroughout the major axis of the base. The block? is *for-medi from amaterial possess'ing sufficient inherent resilency to effect the lockedengagement .of the base l-I with the vcup when vcompres'sivelyassembledtherein. The cupblock when the bar is I2 may be fabricated fromrelatively thin sheet metal stock or made in semi-finished form in ascrew machine then spun, swaged or pressed over the conical base II infrictional engagement therewith. In the latter operation a filler stripslightly less in thickness than the kerf I6 may be inserted in the slotto prevent the free ends of the block from being sprung together andalso to assure sufficient deformation of the block to effect therequisite frictional resistance between the cup and base.

The opening between I1 defining the T-slot I thel overhanging ledges isformed to facilitate the reentrant engagement of the arch bar I8, thedimension of the portions of the T-slot beneath the ledges I'I beingproportioned to permit the arch bar I8 to slide freely therein.

In practice the improved bracket is first adjusted, as indicated in Fig.6, to the position which will accommodate the free entry of the arch barI8 into the T-slot I5. This operation may be effected by placing thejaws of a pair of pliers, forceps or similar instrument over the wallsI9 and 20 of the boss I4 with the iulcrum of the instrument incontiguous relation with the kerf I6, then compressively deforming theblock until the inclined walls of the base II are -disengaged with thecup I2 and free to rotate ,relative thereto. After the bar is insertedin the T-slot I5 securement thereof may be effected by rotating theblock until the corners of the ledges II overlie the outer face of thebar. When the orthodontic technique requires both labial retention ofthe bar and translation thereof within the bracket such support may beattained by rotating the block into ledge-locked engagement with the barand spaced relation of the vertical edges 2l and 22 of the block withthe contiguous .walls of the bar, conversely when full anchorage of thebar is required the block may be rotated to a position in which the baris impinged between the edges 2| and 22, as shown in Fig. 7. Whentractive effort is required the block may be rotated until the tensivestrains imposed upon the bar effect the requisite deformation or angularnexture thereof.

For guidance of the orthodontist the cup and block are preferablyprovided with indicia to in,- dicate the position of the block duringthe rotation thereof, for example, the graduations 23 (Fig. 8) to showthe progressive rotation of the block or tensive strain upon the barduring treatment for tractive movement, the lines 24 (Fig. 7) to showthe locked position of the block relative to the bar, the line 25 toindicate the position of the free to slide therein and the space 26(Fig. 6) to show the proximate alignment of the T-slot with the bar.

As illustrated in Fig. 9, the bearing block 3B for molar anchorage is ofsimilar configuration to that' heretofore described save, however, thatthe upper face thereof is apertured for the reception of a tube 3Iformed for the retention oi the arch bar I8. The block 30 is constructedfor spring pressed engagement and frictional securement within a cup(not shown) of the character shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the advantage ofthe improved block residing in the provision of a structure which willfacilitate gingival adjustments to afford axial alignment of thebarvrelative to the dental arch and/ or parallel alignment ofthe bars inupper and lower dentures.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, itisto be .for the bar comprising a understood that the specific terminologyis not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that variousrearrangements of parts and .modifications of detail may be resorted towithout departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as hereinclaimed.

I claim:

1. In an orthodontia appliance embodying a tooth band and an arch bar, aseparable coupling for connecting the bar to the band comprising a blockhaving a T-slot therein for the reception of the bar, and a kerfextended partially through the body of the block, a conical base on saidblock and a cup secured to the tooth band and frictionally engaged withthe conical base of said block.

2. In an orthodontia appliance' embodying a tooth band and an arch bar,a bracket for connecting the bar to the band comprising a conical cupaffixed upon the band, a block having a slot therein mounted forrotational movement in said cup, ledges in the walls of the blockdefining the slot disposed to partially overlie the bar upon rotation ofthe block and spring means in said block for locking the block againstrotation in said cup.

3. An orthodontia bracket comprising a cup, a block having a T-slottherein mounted for rotative movement within said cup, andspringclamping means in said block to restrain rotational movementthereof in said cup.

4. An orthodontia bracket for connecting a tooth band to an arch barcomprising a cup, a resilient metal block mounted for rotative movementtherein, said block having a T-slot therein for the reception of an archbar, and a second slot defining a split base section, said section beingcompressed for frictional engagement within said cup, the walls of theblock defining the second named slot being disposed in spaced relationwhen frictionally engaged with said cup.

5. An orthodontia bracket for connecting a tooth band to an arch barcomprising a cup, a resilient metal block mounted for rotative move menttherein, means in said block for the sup port of an arch bar, means insaid block for the frictional engagement thereof in said cup, and meansin said block to facilitate release of the frictional engagement of theblock with the cup.

6. In an orthodontia appliance embodying a tooth band and an arch bar, asupporting bracket cup secured to the band, a block mounted for rotativemovement in said cup and supported therein in spring pressed relationtherewith, means on said block to facilitate the rotation thereof, meansin said block for the retention of the arch bar against lingual andlabial movements, said last named means being adapted to facilitategingival deformation Aof the arch bar upon rotation of said block.

7. In an orthodontic appliance embodying an arch bar, a bracketcomprising a cup, a block swiveled therein and supported in springpressed relation therewith, a rectangular boss on said block toaccommodate an adjusting tool, said boss having a slot extendedreception of the arch bar, opposed ledges extended throughout the lengthof the walls of the boss defining said slot, said ledges being disposedto partially overlie the arch bar when the block is swiveled within saidcup, said block having a kerf therein parallel with said slot andextended partially therethrough to facilitate relief of the springpressed engagement of the block within the cup.

therethrough for the 8. In an orthodontic appliance embodying a toothband and an arch bar, a bracket for connecting the bar to the bandcomprising a cup afxed upon the band, a block mounted for rotativemovement in said cup and restrained in spring pressed non-rotativerelation therewith, a boss on said block having a T-slot therein for thereception of the arch bar, the diagonally opposed corners of the ledgesdening the T-slot being disposed to overlie the arch bar when thesubjacent corners of the walls defining the slot are impinged with thebar.

9. An orthodontic bracket comprising a conical cup, a block, a conicalbase thereon mounted in spring pressed relation with said cup, a boss onsaid block having an opening therein for the support of an arch bar andindicia on the cup and block to indicate the position of the blockrelative to the cup during rotative adjustments of the block.

l0. An orthodontic bracket comprising a block, a conical base thereon, acup telescopically engaged therewith, spring means in said block for thefrictional retention thereof against rotation, a boss on said blockhaving a T-slot therein, the walls of said boss dening said T-slot beingformed for the reception of an arch bar and for the retention thereofupon rotative adjustment of the block relative thereto.

11. An orthodontic bracket comprising a block, a conical base thereon, acup telscopically engaged therewith, the outer face of said block havinga slot therein for the reception of an arch bar, yieldable means in saidblock for the retention thereof against rotation and means in the Wallsof the block defining said slot for the retention of the arch Wire uponrotation of the block.

12. In an orthodontic appliance embodying an arch bar, a supportingbracket therefor comprising a block, a conical base thereon, a pair ofyieldable segments therein, a cup telescopically engaged therewith,bosses thereon, ledges on said bosses arranged for telescopic engagementwith the arch bar, said segments being sprung together and frictionallyengaged with said cup and flat parallel walls on said bosses for thereception of a tool, whereby said segments may be compressed fordisengagement with said cup and said block may be rotated therein.

13. An orthodontic bracket comprising a cup,

.a block mounted for rotational movement therein, said block having aslot in the upper face thereof for the reception of an arch bar, meansinthe upper face thereof, the iioor of said s1ot` being disposed abovethe side walls of said cup, the base of said block being supported inspring pressed relation with said cup.

15. An orthodontic bracket comprising a block v having an arch bar slottherein, a circular ange on the base of said block, a circular cupenveloping said ange and normally held in spring pressed engagementtherewith and means in the upper face of said block to facilitate reliefof the spring pressure against the cup and accommodate rotationaladjustments of the block.

16. An orthodontic bracket comprising a circular cup, a block having aslot in the face thereof, a circular ange on the base of said blockfrictionally engaged with said cup, a boss on the upper face of saidblock, parallel side walls thereon for the reception of a tool forrotational adjustments of the block and means in said block to relievethe frictional engagement of the anged portion thereof with the cup whenthe block is rotated under application of torque upon said boss.

17. In an orthodontic appliance including an arch bar, a supportingbracket therefor comprising a cup, a block mounted for rotation therein,means in said block for the anchorage of the. bar, and means in theblock independent of the arch bar to restrain rotational movement of theblock.

18. In an orthodontic appliance embodying an arch bar, a supportingbracket therefor comprising a circular cup, a block mounted forrotational movement therein, means in the block engageable with the cupto restrain rotational movement thereof, means in the block for thesupport of the arch bar, the function of the first named means beingindependent of the function of the last named means.

19. In an orthodontic appliance including an arch bar, a brackettherefor embodying a block having an arch bar opening therein, means forrotating said block relative to the axis of a tooth with the arch bar inplace, and means in said block to restrain the rotational movementthereof after tensioning said arch bar through said rotative movement.

JACOB E. LASKIN.

